Busting Cat-Color Myths: Your Orange Tabby Isn't Dumber Than its Feline Pals

upstart writes:

Busting cat-color myths: Your orange tabby isn't dumber than its feline pals:

The recent viral fame of an orange tabby cat named Jorts led to debates about whether Jorts was less intelligent than other cats simply because he has orange fur. Some said it was unfair and prejudicial to judge the feline based on its appearance.

But is there really a medically known tie between cat fur color and personality or intelligence? People think so, but science doesn't, Zarah Hedge, chief medical officer at the San Diego Humane Society, told me.

[...] "While there could be some genetic components associated with coat color that also impact personality, there is little scientific evidence demonstrating this to be the case in domestic cats," said Hedge, who has five cats of various colors.

The idea that fur color dictates personality isn't as crazy as it sounds. Some studies do show associations between coat color in other mammals and their behavior -- silver foxes, for one. But that hasn't been proven in domestic cats. And cat fur color can vary even within the same breed. The common domestic shorthair cat comes in many fur colors, so really, the stereotypes are often comparing apples to apples.

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